Communities in a New Light - Boston
In Boston an ancient Jewish ceremony succeeds in uniting the different denominations into a single community
More than 200,000 Jews live in Boston in different and varied congregations and communities, in which everyone can find what they are looking for. Two new communities have emerged in the past ten years, and they have managed to unite all the different denominations under one roof.
The Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters community is a cultural center that focuses on the spiritual meaning of immersing oneself in a mikveh. The immersion does not have to be only in the context of women observing niddah (the practice of immersing monthly following menstruation) or converts; it represents renewal in general. Thus, for example, one can immerse oneself in the mikveh after completing one's Ph.D., before one's bat mitzvah or even upon becoming a grandparent. Going to the mikveh no longer has to be done discreetly, in the dark, but is rather done in the light of day and with the whole family. This is an opportunity to turn a change in one's life into a real celebration. Liberal Jews, who until now rejected the ancient Jewish rite, have now found their way to a mikveh that is a celebration of aesthetics and spirituality.
The Jewish community day school JCDS has also found a way to create a common ground for the variety of Jewish denominations and movements in Boston – the Hebrew language. In order to enable the students to directly access the glorious tradition of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, Hebrew is the dominant language in the school. Where else can we find an Orthodox girl studying alongside children from Reform families? The parents also participate in the learning, with the common goal being to delve deeper into Jewish tradition through the Hebrew language.
A film by Einat Kapach
Item already added
plan of is already listed in your Cart!
Press Continue to replace the old plan.
